Set visits in Los Angeles are quickly becoming a favorite pastime. Who really gets to say that other than a lucky blogger like myself who’s been on a few handsful and loves every minute of it! It’s a surreal feeling to me, I’ve grown up watching and enjoying television (especially comedies) and when you get a chance to tour a set and meet the stars of a show, it’s just the coolest thing! We arrived on set at Disney Studios Lot for a tour of The Real O’Neals home and we were thrilled to see stars Bebe Wood (Shannon) and Matt Shively (Jimmy) were there to happily greet us. They joined us and David Windsor (Creator and Executive Producer) as we toured their television home that was decorated for their Christmas episode.
Aside from having no roof, the house looks like a home you and I could live in. The decor down to family photos is really neat to see. With over 100 people working to create an episode, it takes about 5 full days to complete one, then it’s tear down the set and rebuild quickly for the next episode! The Christmas decor was beautiful and behind the scenes you even get a chance to see the “snow” they use to decorate the house, lawn, and yard. 
Because they weren’t actively filming the show that morning, the stars saw the Christmas transformation of the set just as we did and were impressed! 
Also, we got a sneak peak at something you’ll be seeing in a future episode. I’m going to show you the photo and you’ll have to wait and see what and who will be involved in this part of the show!
Any guesses?
To catch you up on Season 2, here’s what’s happening:
The O’Neal family continues its journey of self-discovery and growth, resulting from Kenny coming out and his parents, Eileen and Pat, getting divorced. After finally coming out, Kenny will discover that life outside the closet isn’t that easy. Luckily for him, his older brother, Jimmy, will always be there to offer his often-misguided advice. And finally, there’s Shannon, the youngest O’Neal, whose unique views on life make her wise beyond her years. Eileen and Pat will continue to deal with starting their separate lives while still living under the same roof. Through it all, Aunt Jodi will be there offering her unusual brand of support, as the O’Neals continue to explore new relationships, friendships and acceptance of one another in the next, messier chapter of their lives.
Tuesday Night Spooktacular
This week leading up to Halloween, ABC has tons of great comedy and fun planned for the holiday. Tonight, there’s no shortage of laughs beginning with The Middle at 8pm and ending with The Real O’Neals at 9:30pm! Check out Tuesday’s Spooktacular lineup and then watch the a clip of tonight’s The Real O’Neals episode below!
The Real O’Neals
Tune in tonight and to learn more, visit the social channels below.
My trip that included the set visit of The Real O’Neals was hosted by Disney but every moment documented is 100% my own.
Behind the Scenes of ABC’s New Comedy American Housewife #ABCTVEvent #AmericanHousewife
As part of our Los Angeles adventures last month, we got a chance to go behind the scenes of ABC’s newest comedy American Housewife which premiered last Tuesday in the 8:30 p.m. spot just after The Middle! Did you catch the show? You have to watch as Katy Mixon (Mike & Molly) stars as Katie Otto, a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. In the premiere titled “Pilot,” Katie and husband Greg (Diedrich Bader, “The Drew Carey Show”) have moved to Westport because the school district there is the best option for their youngest, Anna-Kat. Katie finds herself caught up in helping Anna-Kat fit in more while her older kids, Taylor and Oliver fit in a little less. On top of this, Katie has her own insecurities about her place in their new town but her friends, Angela (Carly Hughes) and Doris (Ali Wong) have her back. We saw the screener ahead of time and have since watched a few more episodes and the laughs keep coming. Moms everywhere will relate in one way or another and the cast holds it’s own to Katy Mixon for sure!
Our set visit was unique, the show was actually filming on location at a church so we got up close and personal of what it’s like to take a show out of the studio lot and into the public! I’m sure locals are used to trucks and trailers shutting down streets for film crews, it’s a southern California given. We arrived to the secret location, unable to geotag our social media shares of course for embargo purposes and so crowds don’t get too curious. We witnessed similar wardrobe collections for the stars, food stations, and break areas but only they were outside on the church lawn and in the rectory. While we awaited our small group tours, we sat in the pews of the church. Only in LA!
Merry Christmas! Filming was set a few months into the future and the holiday decor was pretty stunning. We got to literally sit behind producers, directors, and the film crew as the actors came in and out of the room and the shots. I observed cast stand-ins they have for different situations, at first I stared intently at a few people that looked like Katy and Ali but realized they weren’t them at all. Minutes later Katy took her place in the scene and we had to be super quiet on the set. 
Tapes rolled and seconds of film was shot and stopped, and started and stopped again. The process is time consuming, I can imagine. It’s surprising how many people it takes to make a television show work.
Once the actors had a break, they came to meet us in the church for some photos. Ali Wong and Carly Hughes were first to come out and greet us. They are so fun and just hammed it up for photos with everyone! How about Ali’s abs, I heard she just had a baby too (not fair)! 
Then a while later, out came Katy Mixon. Please forgive my hair in this photo, I tried to crop most of it out. It was so humid that day and I was hot and sticky mess. Katy on the other hand was gorgeous, her hair was perfection and she talked to each one of us on a personal level, she was so sweet! 
Tuesday nights are better than ever now with their new show line up, catch each one:
The Middle 8/7c
American Housewife at 8:30/7:30c
Fresh Off the Boat at 9/8c
The Real O’Neals at 9:30/8:30c
Tune in tonight (Tuesday, October 18), this episode had me rolling on the floor. Mom’s will know exactly what I mean, here’s the synopsis and then watch the hilarious clip:
The Nap
All Katie wants is a good, long nap after the kids keep her up all night. But when Greg gets the flu, she doesn’t get a minute to herself. Her exhaustion reaches critical mass with a confrontation with the school’s officious crossing guard (guest star Kate Flannery, “The Office”).
For more on the show, follow the social channels below.
Behind the Scenes of ABC’s The Middle + New Tuesday Night Lineup #TheMiddle #ABCTVEvent
One of my favorite things about fall is looking forward to cozy evenings in on the couch, watching our favorite tv shows as a family! The ABC comedies we love are all premiering this month and the new Tuesday night lineup is going to make you laugh more than ever! Starting tonight, Tuesday October 11, The Middle kicks off the evening at 8/7c followed by the new show American Housewife at 8:30/7:30c, then catch Fresh Off the Boat at 9/8c, and The Real O’Neals at 9:30/8:30c! I’m looking forward to winding down with these great shows tonight and they mean a little more to me now because we had some fun opportunities with them while we were in Los Angeles last month! We got a chance to go on set and behind the scenes of ABC’s The Middle and the experience was unforgettable!
Behind the Scenes of ABC’s The Middle
Driving up to Warner Bros. Studios Ranch, I had butterflies in my stomach. I really love the chance to meet celebrities that I admire on television and in movies, even though they are everyday people, I still get really star-struck. It was no different this time as we were going to meet the cast of ABC’s The Middle, one of my families’ favorite comedies. As a middle-class family of five with a high school student, college student, and tween we’ve always been able to relate to this show in some aspect. Not to mention my husband and I grew up watching Patricia Heaton in “Everybody Loves Raymond” as well as Neil Flynn as the Janitor in “Scrubs,” this was going to be a cool day!
The first thing we were treated to was a warm and genuine welcome from Atticus Shaffer (Brick Heck)! I couldn’t get my camera out fast enough, but he literally went down the line of all 25 of us and shook our hands and said nice to meet you as we introduced ourselves. Brick plays a high school Freshman this season on the show, something my very own son went through this past school year. The set was busy as you can expect, we saw Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn (Frankie Heck, Mike Heck) walk by a few times before we got a very cool chance to snap some photos with them. 
The shot they were currently filming has Patricia Heaton in her PJ’s and for a slight moment she realized this was going to be noticed in the photos! Hey, we’re all moms here, we loved it. I love the set itself too, it’s so real. I mean the bedroom, the bathroom (complete with laundry piled everywhere) made me feel at home, it’s no secret that we’re a little on the messy side in our house! Did you know that this show is shot with ONE camera and it uses film, no digital?! It sets the scene and really makes the show what it is, so cool! 
Atticus was back and he brought Charlie McDermott (Axl Heck) with him and we got a great group shot with the boys! We let the actors get back to business as we took a quick stroll around and found the famous living room. Again, the house is really something I can relate to with the kids’ things, magazines, food, drinks, and stuff everywhere, yet you feel that it’s all about family here with real photos on the wall of the kids growing up. 
Outside we were able to walk through the costume trailer for the show with costume designer Julia Caston. The trailer was packed with clothing all labeled for each character. Did you know that they average about 65 wardrobe changes per episode?! 
It was really neat to see all the clothes and even without looking at the labels you knew who they belonged to. Of course there’s Brick’s striped shirts and sweaters and Mike’s plaid shirts! Axl and his boxer short collection, Sue’s 80’s style, turtlenecks, and everything pink, and a section of Frankie’s dental assistant scrubs! 
On some pieces of clothing/jewelry you’ll catch the continuity photos that are labeled with the season, episode, scene, shoot, and day. In case they have to re-shoot a scene, these labels (that are all included in a software program) are available to recall what and how they were wearing a particular outfit.
The Middle Now on Tuesdays!
After that fun experience, we also got a chance to preview tonight’s new episode at home with our family. Of course we watched it two full times because the first time I was making comments like, “I met him,” or “I sat on that couch, ” and even, “I took a picture in front of that dresser!” But, you’re going to love the premiere, here’s the synopsis:
This year, the kids will find themselves breaking out of their comfort zones and navigating new situations than what they’re used to – which may or may not be very comforting to Frankie and Mike. On the season premiere episode, “The Core Group,” Frankie and Mike are excited to meet April (Greer Grammer) – the love of Axl’s life–but discover that love may indeed be blind when April reveals a quirky personality trait. Meanwhile, after getting bit by the acting bug while working at Dollywood over the summer, Sue wants to change her major to theater, and Brick is starting high school and making it his mission to try for a fresh start and not be considered one of the weird kids.
Now that I have a college student, I can relate to the show in a different way. I look at Sue and Axl and think of my daughter and the experiences and realizations she will be presented with. I see Brick starting high school and I remember that was my son to some extent last year. As a mother I also feel the dynamic of the family changing. Watch this clip of tonight’s episode, it really touched me:
This show will make you laugh and it’s even made me cry. Check out The Middle in it’s new day followed by the rest of the great Tuesday night lineup!
American Housewife at 8:30/7:30c
Fresh Off the Boat at 9/8c
The Real O’Neals at 9:30/8:30c
My trip that included the set visit of The Middle was hosted by Disney but every moment documented is 100% my own.
What to Expect on Season 6 of Once Upon a Time #OUAT #OnceUponaTime #ABCTVEVENT
Once upon a time there was a blogger who was invited to Los Angeles for some incredible experiences with 24 old and new friends! That is exactly how I felt last week, like a princess in a fairy tale. It wasn’t a dream but a reality to jump in a shuttle and head to the ABC building for breakfast and a screening of the season 6 premiere of Once Upon a Time. Not only that, we got to chat with co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz (“Lost,” “Tron: Legacy”) for some exclusive information on the upcoming season.
Once Upon a Time
Welcome to Storybrooke, a small town in Maine that you won’t find on any map. This town is full of magic, populated by fairytale characters once cursed by the Evil Queen Regina to live in our world—deprived of their memories and happy endings. Until Emma Swan came to town and changed everything. With the help of her son, Henry, Emma embraced her true identity as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming—the Savior destined to break the Curse. But even after returning everyone’s memories, Emma’s mission was far from over. With the Curse broken, Mr. Gold (aka Rumplestiltskin) was free to bring magic to Storybrooke. And magic ALWAYS comes with a price…
As Once Upon a Time returns to ABC for its sixth season, TONIGHT, SEPTEMBER 25 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EDT), on the ABC Television Network, so does its classic villain—the Evil Queen.
In the season premiere episode, “The Savior,” as our heroes set out to stop Hyde, Emma develops a mysterious side effect, and Storybrooke becomes a haven for people from the Land of Untold Stories. Meanwhile, Regina and Zelena embrace their newfound sisterhood by becoming roommates, while Rumple tries to free Belle from the sleeping Curse with the help of a stranger. In flashback, Jafar confronts an afflicted Aladdin in Agrabah, and a secret about the Savior is revealed. Watch this teaser to prepare for tonight!
“Once Upon a Time” stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Guest starring are Raphael Sbarge as Archie Hopper/Jiminy Cricket, Beverley Elliott as Granny, Oded Fehr as Jafar, Deniz Akdeniz as Aladdin, Tarun Keram as Emir, Peter Marcin as Chief, Farris Tyab, Jordan Ashley Olson as Young Nurse/Oracle, Giles Matthey as Morpheus, Thomas Gasior as Musketeer #1, Ingrid Torrance as Nurse Ratchet, Hank Harris as Dr. Jekyll and Sam Witwer as Mr. Hyde.
Without giving too much away, here are some of the highlights from our interview with Adam Horowitz (AH) and Edward Kitsis (EK) and what to expect in season 6!
Land of the Untold Stories
Can you explain the concept of the untold story and how it is going to affect our regular characters?
AH: With untold story in the past we’ve seen the characters within the storybook who have been affected by the curse whose happy endings have been ripped away by the Evil Queen and her curse. With the Land of Untold Stories, it’s a little bit different, and what we’re exploring is characters who have run away from their stories, who have left them and gone to this other place. Now they find themselves in a storybook in stories that may have been put on pause and resumed. So rather than stories that necessarily that have ended in a certain way, these are stories that were kind of midstream that for whatever reason these characters didn’t want to see it continue.
It’s kind of a different way into kind of looking at what some of these classic characters have gone through, and how, and finding another way that they can kind of intersect with our characters.
What was the selection process like for choosing the untold stories? And how deep are you going? And how much of that time will be focused on those untold stories?
AH : We have a dart board.
EK : The second episode is The Count of Monte Cristo and The Count of Monte Cristo was a master of revenge. So that you’re going to see the story unfold where we realize he has a past with the Evil Queen, who we also know was interested in getting revenge. When we bring in new characters it is the fun of telling that story. Also though, how it filmatically links back to our characters. And I think what you’ll see in this first bunch, or actually the first 10 episodes is it really is, we’re back to, it’s just our characters. The villain is obviously the Evil Queen, Rumple is not looking very heroic right now, and Zelena is caught between two sisters. We’re going to see some chaos in Storybook unfold, but really a lot of it is going to be between our characters.
Characters Expected in Season 6
What are some of the characters we can expect to see this season?
AH : We are going to be seeing Captain Nemo,Count of Monte Cristo, Cinderella, Aladdin, Jasmine, Jafar.
EK : We’re going to meet the Evil Stepmom from Cinderella, we’re going to meet the wicked step sisters, or evil stepsisters. We’re going to see a lot more of Archie this year, Jiminy Cricket. We’re going to see Elroy and the Dwarfs, our normal group of people. And then there’s be some fun, I think, little things in The Land of Untold Stories.
Belle and Rumple
Can you also talk about the tension in in their relationship? And what Bell is really hoping to achieve this year?
AH : So, you know, because they’ve had that love between them, what’s happen to them is so terrible and has ripped them apart in such a difficult way, she’s really struggling now with how to move forward in life.
EK : Rumple says, I’ll be the best man I can be.
AH : I’ll be the best man I can be, which is a very carefully chosen set of words. He’ll be the best man he can be, but he can’t quite get to that place of actually being a good man. But he does become sort of a better man, but he also never really portray who he is. That’s the push pull in that relationship, she does love him and sees the good and the bad in him, and the potential. It’s that frustration that continues to grow, which is wow, if he could just kind of keep going in that one direction it could work.
AH : But something always sort of pulls him back.
EK : I think, you know, it’s that-that gray area is what we like to write. Because if it was just good, there was just evil and the show gets boring, and for us, we always wanted it to work on the level of taking the icons into humans, you know. So you’re taking the Snow White figurine off yourself and saying, what would she really be like? And the same with Rumple. And every year I always remind our fans that he warned us in Skin Deep, he was a difficult man to love. And every year people fall for him. And then when he reminds you of that they get upset. So this year will be no different.
Love and Family
Six seasons into the show you are at the point where it’s not true love as a romantic love, it can be a parent and a child, or between siblings. Can you talk about sort of exploring, like moving away from what traditional happy ending or true love story would be?
EK : I think that is absolutely true. I think this show has always been about a family. There’s a lot of romance and I think you’re going to see the first few episodes have a lot of that romance in them, but at the end of the day, the curse was broken between a son and a mom. And family comes first on this show, and that is important to us. I think that also we try to do real life like Neil. Neil is Emma’s first boyfriend, we all have them, and you don’t marry them usually, you move on and you learn from them. And they become a how to of what not to do or what to do, but that’s what they were, and that was real to us.
AH : Same with Regina with Daniel, which there’s nothing un-untrue about that love or impure about it, but she moved on and she found love with Robin and subsequently we lost him. But to Eddy’s point it’s character roaming and experiencing things, and the goal of the show has always been to not have it just be a pattern.
EK : I think that in a happy ending they end with happily ever after, which means they go on. They very rarely say the end. So there is no period at the end of this, so how do you live your life like that? You know, if you’re waiting around for here’s the three things that are going to make me happy and then I can just sit down and go, I’m happy, it doesn’t work like that. And I think the characters have to slowly start to realize that as well because I think that a lot of them just believe that, you know, true love’s kiss we wake up and we go off into the sunset, except for there’s another episode the next week and a new marshmallow monster comes to town.
Saviors
Can we expect anymore saviors this season? Because we had a lot of dark ones.
AH : That’s a great question.
EK : Well what I’ll say is this without trying to spoil too much is, if last year we were exploring dark ones and that mythology, this year we really try to explore savior mythology. What it means to be a savior, what-who- they could have been before, and who they could be next.
Hope
EK : What I can say though is that this is a show about hope and that we treat everybody with respect. And so that’s important to this show. So whatever we call these characters, whether they are from Dickens, or Huck Finn, or whatever some of them need help and we’re going to help them. And that’s really what we’re going to be about and if there’s one thing that I’ve learned in the show is don’t trust a villain, because they lie.
AH : It goes to what Snow White says in the premiere, which is they know they’re a danger there, but she welcomes them all.
EK : The fact that Snow realized they were frightened, and that’s about taking care of people, which is what Storybook is, is it’s a very welcoming town, unless you’re like the queens of darkness and you’ve come to ruin it.
You’ve said over and over again, that this is a show about hope. For all of those fans out there who are still hoping that Robin Hood will come back, what do you say to them?
EK : I’d say dead is dead.
Regina
EK : So I can tell you that a lot of this year is about Regina dealing with loss and moving on, because I think Regina has the most unfair luck of anybody. But that’s kind of what makes her Regina.
AH : And by moving on, we don’t mean like falling in love with someone right away. That’s not realistic to us,this was someone she did love, and who she did lose, and we hope that we deal with that grief and that aftermath in a real way. The premiere explains like that she chooses to have hope and believe that Hades was lying. That’s her taking a leap of faith into believe he wasn’t obliterated, he went to a better place, he moved on. And then when the audience sees the feather come down, that’s telling the audience she was right to have that belief and she doesn’t need that physical proof.
EK : That’s why. Absolutely that’s why we-we did it. If she see it then it’s not fake. Then it’s not taking a leap of anything, it’s fact.
Inspiration
Where else do you find inspiration for the characters and their stories.
EK : You find them everywhere. You find them from life or TV shows. Like Walter White saying I like the life, absolutely was amazing. Michael Corleone closing the door when his wife realizes he’s gone to the other side. All these images stick in our mind. For us Rumple was always part rock star, he was kind of this mixture of Bowie and Mick Jagger and then he’s the Godfather. And you mix those two together and you’ve got Mick Jagger if he was a crime boss and that is kind of where we came this from. When we sat down, we always said it’s fairytales through a Bowie video and which is why you see all these little touches. We draw inspiration for the characters everywhere and in real life.
Social Media Influence
On social media and your fan base, I wonder how much do you pay attention to that on Twitter and if it ever plays a role in the storylines or characters that you bring back?
EK : If we were to listen to everyone, Robin would be both dead and alive. Regina would be with Daniel, the Huntsmen would come back even though he’s a movie star. He would also be dead and Neil would be back. Hook would be alive and dead. Everybody has a different opinion and we’re going to go with the one that got us to episode 115, which is ours. As much as we love the fans and we love their thoughts, by the time they hear them, we’re already on episode 20. So today this will premiere and episode one will get a lot of you betters. But we’re in ten, and so the hardest thing I think in this business is to stay true to your vision, because every day you wake up and somebody is trying to say, are you sure you want to do that?
AH : Right. We love to hear from the fans, we love to get the feedback, and it’s a relatively new phenomena that we get those real time feedback as shows are airing. But what’s hard for a lot of fans to understand, because they don’t make television for a living, is exactly what Eddy said, which is by the time you’re watching the premier we’re already talking about the back half of the season, and how we’re ending the season. It’s like the ship has sailed in a way.
EK : Did anyone read the Hunger Games and after chapter two say they didn’t tell me who won. I hate this book. I have to read 80 more pages? But on TV it’s like I watched three hours, and I want to know what’s happened to John Stow, right now.
How Much Longer?
How many more seasons do you foresee being on the air? Do you have an end date?
AH : How many do you want? We don’t have an end date, but we have an end plan, let’s put it that way. We know how we would want to end the show when the time comes.
EK : I also think Once Upon a Time is a show where season one was different from season two, then season three and we’ve reinvented it every year. Yet it all has fallen under an umbrella where people have stayed with us. Eventually some of the characters are going to have to have their endings and move on. But who knows, maybe there’s a world where this show continues to grow and move on and-and new people come in and out. But we don’t know. We’re not at planning an ending right now, but we’ll see what happens.
AH : We’re in the middle of telling this story about these characters and we’re excited that we’re given the opportunity to tell it.
How excited are you now for tonight’s premiere?
For more information on “Once Upon a Time,” visit abc.com/Once.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/OnceABC
Twitter: @OnceABC and @ABC_Publicity
Hashtag: #OnceUponATime
My trip that included the exclusive interview with the creators of Once Upon a Time was hosted by Disney but every opinion is 100% my own.
Follow Me Down the Red Carpet for the Queen Of Katwe Premiere #QueenOfKatweEvent
Pixie dust has reached my inbox and next week I’ll be hopping off a plane at LAX with a dream and my cardigan. Well, maybe not a cardigan, but YES! I’m going to Los Angeles with 24 remarkable bloggers to walk the red carpet at the Queen Of Katwe premiere! This is my fourth time attending such a grand event and I’m honored to have been asked! Follow along on social media with the hashtags mentioned and experience the amazing adventure right there with us!
#QueenOfKatweEvent
Our adventures start Monday, September 19 when we arrive in LA and check into the “Hotel of the Stars,” Sheraton Universal Hotel and await old and new friends. Then it’s off to Walt Disney Studios for a pre-screening reception wit the African-American Disney Resource Group for dinner and drinks. On this first night we actually get to screen Queen Of Katwe for the first time.
“Queen Of Katwe” is based on the vibrant true story of a young girl from the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.
Here’s the trailer for you to see, I’ve just noticed seeing it on television and it gives me the good chills every time! Queen Of Katwe opens in select theaters on September 23rd; everywhere on September 30th!
#ABCTVEvent #OnceUponATime
Tuesday starts off an unforgettable day by first jumping in a van and heading to the ABC Building for an exciting Once Upon a Time event! We will be getting a sneak preview of the Once Upon a Time Season 6 Premiere, “The Savior,” which will be followed by a Q&A with co-creators and executive producers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz! This is unreal, my husband and I have always wanted to get into this program and I’m thinking now is better than never! The show is returning to ABC for its sixth season, Sunday, September 25 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EDT).
Welcome to Storybrooke, a small town in Maine that you won’t find on any map. This town is full of magic, populated by fairytale characters once cursed by the Evil Queen Regina to live in our world—deprived of their memories and happy endings. Until Emma Swan came to town and changed everything. With the help of her son, Henry, Emma embraced her true identity as the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming—the Savior destined to break the Curse. But even after returning everyone’s memories, Emma’s mission was far from over. With the Curse broken, Mr. Gold (aka Rumplestiltskin) was free to bring magic to Storybrooke. And magic ALWAYS comes with a price…
Once Upon a Time” stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O’Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Rebecca Mader as the Wicked Witch/Zelena and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
#QueenOfKatweEvent
Press Day begins with lunch and I’m so thrilled to announce that we will be meeting the real life inspirations for the Queen Of Katwe, Phiona Mutesi and Robert Katende for a rare group interview! It doesn’t stop there because then we’ll interview Madina Nalwanga (who plays Phiona), Martin Kabanza (Phiona’s brother Brian Mugabi in the movie), the Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o (Harriet Mutesi), Selma’s star David Oyelowo (Robert Katende), and movie director Mira Nair! 
Following the interviews, we’re heading back to the hotel to spiffy up for the Red Carpet and the Queen Of Katwe premiere! I may also need a glass of wine to relax and prepare me for the night. I mean, how often do you get to walk down Hollywood Boulevard with dozens of celebrities then enter the El Capitan Theatre with them to watch the Queen Of Katwe?! If that doesn’t knock your socks off, after the movie we will venture to the Hard Rock Cafe with those same celebrities and the cast for the premiere party. Is this real life, or just fantasy? Wow, just wow!
#ABCTVEvent #AmericanHousewife
The fun definitely doesn’t stop there. Wednesday morning we are up bright and early and we’re on our way to visit the set of ABC’s new comedy American Housewife as well as some cool behind-the-scenes action! Now, I just watched the screener of the first episode and I totally laughed to tears. The one-liners, the parent-child relationship, this is my kind of comedy and if you love Modern Family, The Middle, and Black-ish as much as I do, then this is a perfect addition to your favorites! I loved Diedrich Bader from the Drew Carey Show days and he is so funny in this, I’ve already set my DVR to record the series! The show premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 8:30/7:30c. 
Katie Otto, a confident, unapologetic wife and mother of three, raises her flawed family in the wealthy town of Westport, Connecticut, filled with “perfect” mommies and their “perfect” offspring. Katie’s perfectly imperfect world is upended when her neighbor’s decision to move notches her up from her ideal social standing and sets her on a path to ensure that doesn’t happen, regardless of the consequences. Watch the trailer:
#ABCTVEvent #TheMiddle
Speaking of The Middle, to round out our super exciting three days, we are going on set and behind-the-scenes of a show that we love to watch as a family! I mean, I still have Sue’s graduation episode saved on my DVR as my oldest just graduated from high school. It’s a combination of laughing to tears, and just plain tearing up at some of the reality of this great show! The Middle premieres Tuesday, October 11 at 8/7c.
Two-time Emmy-winner Patricia Heaton stars in this warm and witty single-camera comedy about raising a family and lowering your expectations. Middle-aged, middle class and living in the middle of the country in Orson, Indiana, Frankie Heck is a harried wife and mother of three who uses her wry wit and sense of humor to get her family through each day intact. Frankie works as a dental assistant, and her unflappable husband, Mike, is manager at the local quarry and her sardonic partner in the daily grind that is raising their average – yes, most definitely average – family.
#ABCTVEvent #TheRealONeals
JUST ADDED to our itin! We will be visiting the set of The Real O’Neal’s and getting a house tour! The Real O’Neals will premiere October 11 at a new time, Tuesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC!
The O’Neal family continues its journey of self-discovery and growth, resulting from Kenny coming out and his parents, Eileen and Pat, getting divorced. After finally coming out, Kenny will discover that life outside the closet isn’t that easy. Luckily for him, his older brother, Jimmy, will always be there to offer his often-misguided advice. And finally, there’s Shannon, the youngest O’Neal, whose unique views on life make her wise beyond her years. Eileen and Pat will continue to deal with starting their separate lives while still living under the same roof. Through it all, Aunt Jodi will be there offering her unusual brand of support, as the O’Neals continue to explore new relationships, friendships and acceptance of one another in the next, messier chapter of their lives.
This trip is going to be epic and many thanks to Disney for hosting me on this all-expenses paid adventure. Stay tuned to those great hashtags and follow along on my social media to feel like you’re right along side me!
